In this fast-paced sci-fi mystery, two bear-rights activists disappear, and their 11-year-old son, Spencer, sets out to find them. The action never flags: a high-speed chase ends with Spencer jumping out of a moving vehicle and taking refuge in the woods to avoid capture. There he's met by a talking bear who escorts him to Bearhaven, a sanctuary populated by a friendly bear family who say they were rescued by his parents. After the initial shock of being able to communicate with bears via implanted translators wears off, Spencer befriends Kate, a young bear cub. These bears are determined to help rescue others who are being used in brutal bear-baying competitions, where a bear is pitted against a team of dogs. Despite the implausibility of bears that talk, play video games, train as guards, and go to school, this is a fun, exciting series start with creepy villains and a boy hero who outthinks and outwits the adults, conquering his fears in the process.

Gr 4-7 Fans of Erin Hunter's "Seekers" series (HarperCollins) and Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf, 2002) looking for a new series will enjoy this animal adventure novel. Spencer's parents are bear activists; they are constantly working to save the creatures from human-made and environmental danger. Spencer doesn't know how important the bears are until his father is kidnapped. To keep Spencer safe, his uncle takes him out of school and rushes him to a secret sanctuary in the woods called Bearhaven, a place complete with its own set of politics. The bears even have a special device that translates "bear speech" into English. Once Spencer arrives, a plan to rescue his father is formed. The action reaches an exciting climax with this daring rescue attempt, which, in conjunction with short chapters and the fast-paced plot, will have readers breathlessly turning pages. Although talking animal books are far from unusual, Rocha adds a unique spin to the genre in the creation of the fantastical Bearhaven. The ending sets up for a sequel. VERDICT A solid purchase for fans of animal adventure stories and eco-mysteries, this work will also appeal to reluctant readers. Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School, Providence, RI